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Medford, OR—The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has fined ECBlend LLC $29,100 for a number of hazardous waste violations.

The violations included: failing to determine whether waste liquids that contained nicotine and were generated by the company were hazardous, illegally storing hazardous waste and transporting hazardous waste without a manifest.

Beginning in September 2011 and continuing through at least August 2016, the company produced liquids for electronic nicotine delivery systems, including e-cigarettes. The liquid wastes, which contained nicotine, were stored on site at the company's facility off Knutson Avenue in Medford. The company moved to Ross Lane, in Medford, in 2013 transporting the waste without preparing a manifest. A DEQ inspector in September 2016 found five boxes containing liquid waste generated at the old facility and eight bags containing bottles of the liquid waste generated at the new facility.

During the 2016 inspection, the inspector also found the waste wasn't labeled as hazardous or dated. The inspector also found that company employees weren't provided hazardous waste training.

Improperly managing hazardous waste threatens public health and the environment. To safeguard the public, DEQ has strict requirements for the accumulation, storage, handling, treatment and disposal of hazardous waste.